Having already distinguished himself in combat, charismatic naval commander James Fitzjames joined Great Britain's 1845 Franklin Expedition, thinking he would make his name; instead the expedition disappeared without a trace. In this biography—which features 16 pages of black and white illustrations—William Battersby draws extensively on Fitzjames's personal letters and journals as well as official naval records, creating a portrait of an ambitious man haunted by the secret of his illegitimate birth.

"A riveting detective story that reveals a whole host of compelling details about the nature of 19th-century maritime endeavor, and the fated, enigmatic Captain Fitzjames.... A worthy addition to the distinguished literature on the greatest Arctic naval disaster in history."—Benedict Allen